RV Driving in Adverse Weather Conditions (Part 2 of 2)

Last week we looked at driving in adverse weather, that most have encountered at one time or another.  Today we will discuss the chance encounter of coming face to face with a real severe weather event, a tornado.  (Link to last week’s part 1: http://blog.rv.net/2009/11/rv-driving-in-adverse-weather-conditions-part-1-of-2/ ) Tornados, as we know them today, are one of the most violent short term weather events out there.  With wind speeds as high as 300 MPH or more, there is no doubt of their possible affect to anything in their way.  One of the real issues is the lack of warning prior to it striking.  The weather services do however issue warnings of “the possibility of tornado development”.  But, these announcements seem so common across the country during the summertime that they seem to lose their punch. So, what are some of the possible tell-tale signs of an approaching tornado?  The following events have been seen prior to a tornado.  An unusual threatening green color in the sky. Clouds moving at a greater than normal speed in a rotating or converging pattern. If it hails during a period of tornado warnings, there is a strong chance of a tornado immediately after. If no warnings are posted there will probably be no tornado activity. A strange quiet occurring shortly after the passing of a thunderstorm. Observation of a funnel like image.  This could be a cloud structure or just debris spinning in clear air. The sound of rushing air or large waterfall. ... Read more

RV Driving in Adverse Weather Conditions (Part 1 of 2)

Even though most RV’s will never see winter weather while travelling, they are exposed periodically to bad and possibly violent weather.  High gusting winds, torrential rains, driving hail and thunderous lightning bolts have all been experienced at one time by many of us.  The fear of visible or embedded tornados and like-cyclonic disturbances is real and RV’s are particularly vulnerable.  Almost all RV’s have a relatively high center of gravity and a poor vertical body structure to weight ratio.  In other words, they can be adversely affected by winds.     So, how do we deal with these trailers and motor homes when faced with an impeding storm on the open road?    Of course, the easiest way, depending on the storm’s severity, is to cancel that day’s travel.  But, many times you are already on the road, and it develops without warning.   Let’s look at each element and the best strategy to adopt. Wind – Can be an issue even on an otherwise nice day.  A fast moving front or a steep pressure variation can produce substantially strong winds.  Also geographical terrain, such as mountainous areas, can also deliver unexpected high winds and gusts.  The affect of these winds on an RV can cause difficulty in maintaining its lane when running down a road or highway.  This occurs when the wind speed is in the high twenties to the mid forties, depending on the size and weight of the vehicle.  Wind gusts, as opposed to a steady wind state, can amplify the problem... Read more

Carbon Monoxide Reminder

Every year, around this time, I like to remind people about the dangers of carbon monoxide gas. Whether in your home or your RV, when you fire up the furnace and bring out the portable heaters to help stay warm, there is the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide gas is invisible, odorless, and deadly! It is produced by the partial combustion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. This includes gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, & coal. It is extremely serious when combustion by-products are not vented outside. Carbon Monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths each year. Let’s take a look at what we can do to prevent the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.   Read more  Read More →

Making Modifications to Your RV

I get asked these questions alot: “Is it safe to modify my RV? What about my warranty? Will it be voided?” There is a lot of misinformation floating around about what constitutes a safe mod and what will void your warranty if you do certain kinds of mods. Many RV owners tend to be the “do-it-your-self” types and enjoy “doing the mod”. If you fall in to this group, you should carefully consider the implications of certain mods. You know that really expensive extended warranty that covers your RV “bumper-to-tongue” after the factory warranty runs out that you added when you purchased your new RV? It won’t help one bit if you do a mod that causes a failure on a covered part. So let’s look at what mods are safe to do and what just might cause you some grief down the road if you are not aware of your warranty conditions of coverage. Read more  Read More →

VIDEO: One Way to Secure Your RV After-Hours

Gear to Get with Brian Brawdy Recently I got up early one morning to catch the sun rise. I jumped out of my RV and walked about twenty yards in the direction of the beach. Before I saw or heard him, I could feel someone else was there. A dark silhouette loomed in the shadows. I instantly said “Good Morning” startled a bit at his presence. Wearing a black skull cap, jacket and pants the figure stood there as I approached. Before I could get any closer, he suddenly turned and briskly walked away. Read more  Read More →

What’s your RV Emergency Escape Plan?

When we plan a trip in our RV we tend to think about all of the good aspects of the upcoming adventure. Where we are going, what we’ll do when we get there, and all of the things we will see and experience along the way. What we don’t really think about is what if something happens during the trip and everybody needs to exit the RV in a hurry. What if there is a fire? What if the entry door is blocked and you can’t get out. What’s the plan? Is there a plan? Read more  Read More →

RV Weekly Round-Up (Oct. 17-23, 2009)

1. Tax deduction for ‘09 vehicle purchases: The Internal Revenue Service wants to remind you that buying a new motorhome this year may make you eligible for a state-level tax deduction. State and local sales & excise taxes on new vehicles may be reduced for taxpayers whose incomes meet a designated range. Watch the IRS tax break video for details. Read more  Read More →

Boost your energy in less than five minutes

By Lynn Difley Long road trips are part and parcel of an RVers  way of life. We are often unable to avoid sitting for long periods of time as we move from one campground to another, or roam our summer haunts to winter snowbird roosts. Keeping your body fit and your mind alert while undertaking long term travel is a great challenge. Read more  Read More →

Winter Battery Storage & Maintenance

I was recently asked a question and felt like the answer could be useful to lots of RVers, so I am using the question as the topic for this article. Q: Hi Mark, we live in Colorado and we are preparing our RV for storage. I just had the RV winterized, but I am concerned about how or what to do to store my RV batteries. Any advice would be appreciated. A: The two most common causes for RV battery failure are undercharging and overcharging.  Undercharging is a result of batteries being repeatedly discharged and not fully recharged between cycles. If a battery is not recharged the sulfate material that attaches to the discharged portions of the plates begins to harden into crystals. Over time this sulfate cannot be converted back into active plate material and the battery is ruined. This also occurs when a battery remains discharged for an extended period of time, like during storage. Sulfation is the number one cause of battery failure. The second leading cause of battery failure is overcharging. Overcharging batteries results in severe water loss and plate corrosion. With that said let’s look at how to properly store your RV batteries. Before we talk about storing the batteries we need to talk about battery safety. Lead acid batteries contain sulfuric acid which is extremely corrosive and can cause severe burns or even blindness. And the hydrogen gas that batteries produce, when they’re charging, is very explosive. When you work around batteries you need to wear safety... Read more

Flip Flop Warning

By Lynn Difley Although many consider our life style to be of the casual sort, one that would welcome footwear that suggests beach, leisure, and fun, the RV lifestyle is not a good fit with the hazardous rubber sandal, the flip-flop. I am on a rampage against flip flops this week and I hope none of you are selling or have invested in the popular beach shoe, because I am about to plead for a ban on flip flops. This is all because Hannah, a regular student of mine, a small but feisty 84 year old showed up for class with a nasty looking black eye, a gash on her forehead and scrapes on her shoulder and hand. “What happened “ we all asked, and she sheepishly replied, “well I went out to get the mail in my flip flops, in too much of a hurry to put on my walking shoes, and one of the steps was slippery with some leaves and next thing I knew I was down.” It is a testimony to her strength and fitness that she didn’t break anything, or dislocate any joints, but her fall serves as a good warning for all of us. It is a fact of life that as we get older, the likelihood of our falling increases, particularly if steps are not taken to improve our balance and to reduce the hazards around us. “Flip flops have single-handedly caused more problems with people’s feet in the last few years than any other kind of shoe,” says Dr. Rock Positano, a podiatrist at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery. He sees about five to 10 flip flop caused injuries a week, injuries that are the direct... Read more

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